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Swisstone LS3 by Graham/Chartwell - what's this ?

C

Cato

pfm Member
Seems like Graham / Chartwell is releasing some new LS3 derivative called the Swisstone LS3 -

Sealed box, 11 ohm load - around £1K rrp, anyone come across this?

https://www.pikdo.me/media/Bl5swschOzZ

38096927_521639708267237_6070787392149651456_n.jpg



graham-audio-bbc-swisstone-ls3.jpg
 
I assume it’s British and they’ve secured the Swisstone name? Is Derek Hughes involved? A cynic might say it’s just more riding in the 3/5a coattails but if it’s the Graham team then good luck with the venture.
 
TheDecameron said:
I assume it’s British and they’ve secured the Swisstone name? Is Derek Hughes involved? A cynic might say it’s just more riding in the 3/5a coattails but if it’s the Graham team then good luck with the venture.
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Yes it looks like they must've bought the Swisstone name at some point - at a grand or so (reportedly) it is quite a bit less than their ls3/5 and ls3/5a offerings so perhaps they pitch it as entry level - dunno
 
Does that look taller than a usual LS3/5A cabinet, or is it just the perspective of the photo?
 
Yank said:
Does that look taller than a usual LS3/5A cabinet, or is it just the perspective of the photo?
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They are roughly the same height, but the Swisstone LS3 is narrower and deeper than the BBC LS3 and LS3/5A. That is probably why the Swisstone model looks taller. The LS3/5A stands have been rotated 90 degrees to fit.
 
That is the biggest, ugliest, most plastic badge I have EVER SEEN on a speaker. WTF were they thinking?
 
Strictly Stereo said:
They are roughly the same height, but the Swisstone LS3 is narrower and deeper than the BBC LS3 and LS3/5A. That is probably why the Swisstone model looks taller. The LS3/5A stands have been rotated 90 degrees to fit.
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Hmm, that's an interesting design decision. A narrower baffle means that even more baffle step compensation would have to be built into the crossover to get a satisfying balance out of them, if they're meant to be used free-standing. And the LS3/5A is already the poster child for maximum baffle step...
 
Curious that it’s marked as trademarked. They don’t own the Swisstone trademark (it’s in use in Germany by the owner) and they don’t own Chartwell for that matter. On their website most of the products are called “The BBC LS/...”. Auntie might not be happy about that either. Maybe he likes IP litigation (I don’t, my wife got caught out for a large amount of money). Why not just call them “Graham LS/...”?
 
sls4321 said:
Curious that it’s marked as trademarked. They don’t own the Swisstone trademark (it’s in use in Germany by the owner) and they don’t own Chartwell for that matter. On their website most of the products are called “The BBC LS/...”. Auntie might not be happy about that either. Maybe he likes IP litigation (I don’t, my wife got caught out for a large amount of money). Why not just call them “Graham LS/...”?
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https://www.grahamaudio.co.uk/news/graham-audio-announces-ls35/

As for the BBC labelling, those designs are produced under licence. It is all entirely above board.
 
Strictly Stereo said:
https://www.grahamaudio.co.uk/news/graham-audio-announces-ls35/

As for the BBC labelling, those designs are produced under licence. It is all entirely above board.
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I appreciate that, there are several licencees, none use BBC in the product name and I wonder if the license allows it. It implies the product is BBC approved.

The Swisstone and Chartwell mysteries are solved. Mr Graham incorporated two companies by those names in 2015 and they’ve been dormant ever since. My experience from my wife’s deceased business is that you have to register your trademark and I recall it cost her about £1,200. If anyone wants to call an audio range “Zen Junkie”, it’s yours for a grand. Registration of a company name gets you zippo.

That said, I’ve read that their LS5/9 and LS3/5a speakers are rather good.
 
Strictly Stereo said:
As for the BBC labelling, those designs are produced under licence. It is all entirely above board.
Click to expand...

Incidentally, how’s the DSPeaker x4 doing? I thought it a great product when announced in 2015, it then took 2 or 3 years to come to market, by which time I’d gone all-in-one.
 
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